Join geometry and object materials

[patricks]

I have an in-place family with a profile sweep and an extrusion that intersect. I want to join the extrusion and the sweep so that the extrusion will cut its shape out of the sweep, but in doing so both objects take on the same material properties. I need to have them set to different materials. Is making an in-place void to cut the sweep and then the extrusion separately the only answer to this?

[Elmo]

It swould seem so. Everytime you join elements something has to give simply because your making "one" component.